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nephili 786

If a child asked you, what would you give as a literal definition of "God" (or the lack of)? Why do you believe or disbelieve? What gave you your proof that "God" is real or not real? Everyone has their own personal beliefs as far as who or what created us and why (or why not). I'd like to hear some others tell their literal beliefs.

Edited May 31 by nephili

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Rlyeh 8,630

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back to earth 22,981

If a child asked you, what would you give as a literal definition of "God" (or the lack of)?

That would depend on the child and their age, their environment , what input their parents were having, etc .

1 hour ago, nephili said:

Why do you believe or disbelieve?

Because i know and understand the way belief works in the psyche .

1 hour ago, nephili said:

What gave you your proof that "God" is real or not real?

Nothing .

1 hour ago, nephili said:

Everyone has their own personal beliefs as far as who or what created us and why (or why not). I'd like to hear some others tell their literal beliefs.

That depends on what you mean by ;literal beliefs' ; in the western Christian context 'literal belief' relates to types of theology that assumes the Bible is literally true and factual . I dont believe that .

Outside of that , I suppose 'literally' ( still not sure what this means in this context ) in the basic evolutionary / anthropological 'story' .

But that isnt a 'belief ' ... my beliefs are flexible ... at times even whimsical .

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nephili 786

That would depend on the child and their age, their environment , what input their parents were having, etc

Not necessarily a child, more a person with no preconceptions of the idea of "God". If there was a genuine inquiry to the physical properties of "God", how would you describe that to someone? No regard to age or upbringing.

6 hours ago, back to earth said:

Outside of that , I suppose 'literally' ( still not sure what this means in this context ) in the basic evolutionary / anthropological 'story' .

Literal beliefs would be without metaphors, parables and allegories. Just what you actually believe in a sense of why or how such a being functions in the universe.

If a child asked you, what would you give as a literal definition of "God" (or the lack of)? Why do you believe or disbelieve? What gave you your proof that "God" is real or not real? Everyone has their own personal beliefs as far as who or what created us and why (or why not). I'd like to hear some others tell their literal beliefs.

I find this an interesting topic for a thread in this forum.

Although, I must point out, the varying responses from the OP, I find very important. BTE's and Rlyeh's to be exact. Though, PersonFromPorloCk puts an interesting spin on it, I feel.

Now, as a raised secular/non-religious individual who raised their kids the same way, it would matter how the environment the child is in to ask such a question. Would a child ask for the literal definition of God? I would think, at that age, everything is seen as literal, right? I have had my children ask me about God, and the environment was different for them in the usual sense, because they would witness it through their friend's eyes, not their own. And I answered through what others believed, not as their parents would. So, there wouldn't be anything literal to describe, only how it's seen through other subjective eyes. I feel that is the only way, because of how it's not something that has the usual proof to show anything literal.

A literal proof to show, would be our laws and why they are there. (There would be literal proof to it's existence.) Our president, and environmental situations. The only way I would think it would come close to literal, is use symbolism or what others would use to describe God to them that the symbolism or words that would normally be described down through the ages. But, in the end, it wouldn't be a literal explanation. Again, there might be a particular environmental reasoning to that, through a secular raised family.

And despite being raised secular, I have a subjective personal New Age belief, and I may have my own reasoning for me. Would it border on being literal? Well, for me, I would think so, and even that could be debated. I would think that would boil down to the symbolic description again, which I would use for it to be proof for me. I never have raised or explained to my kids my belief, because of how in lecture form of it, they wouldn't understand it, maybe. If anything, how it guided me, would be how they would be aware of it through that. And that's not definite, I don't think.

I pretty much followed my mother's approach. Let it be known, one has the right to follow their own path when they reach adulthood, and I made that known to my children. So, it really boils down to subjectiveness, and not something that can be proven literally. So, the big question is, can God be proven literally? Can anyone, with their own subjective beliefs, (that's including me and my higher power too) prove their beliefs literally and with examples?

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Podo 5,055

I'd tell the child stories of Odin and Loki's adventures, Rama's quest to destroy the rakshasa, Sun Wukong's journey for enlightenment, and the Buddha's achievement of enlightenment. I'd teach them that gods are important characters in the oldest stories, and ones who are still important for today's stories. But, they're all nothing but stories. Then I'd take the kid fishing, because fishing is the best thing and all kids need to do it.

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back to earth 22,981

Not necessarily a child, more a person with no preconceptions of the idea of "God". If there was a genuine inquiry to the physical properties of "God", how would you describe that to someone? No regard to age or upbringing.

Ah ... a different question then ; and now about God's physical properties , which I would not answer that way as I do not think God has physical properties , God is a 'conceptual complex' .

9 hours ago, nephili said:

Literal beliefs would be without metaphors, parables and allegories. Just what you actually believe in a sense of why or how such a being functions in the universe.

Well, I can describe what I think the function and development of God is, but it, as I said above, is not a belief . Nor do I see Gd as a 'being' ... nor do I see it functioning in the Universe, its a socio cultural complex developed to define and deify the local collective 'superego' .

Although, I must point out, the varying responses from the OP, I find very important. BTE's and Rlyeh's to be exact. Though, PersonFromPorloCk puts an interesting spin on it, I feel.

Now, as a raised secular/non-religious individual who raised their kids the same way, it would matter how the environment the child is in to ask such a question. Would a child ask for the literal definition of God? I would think, at that age, everything is seen as literal, right? I have had my children ask me about God, and the environment was different for them in the usual sense, because they would witness it through their friend's eyes, not their own. And I answered through what others believed, not as their parents would. So, there wouldn't be anything literal to describe, only how it's seen through other subjective eyes. I feel that is the only way, because of how it's not something that has the usual proof to show anything literal.

A literal proof to show, would be our laws and why they are there. (There would be literal proof to it's existence.) Our president, and environmental situations. The only way I would think it would come close to literal, is use symbolism or what others would use to describe God to them that the symbolism or words that would normally be described down through the ages. But, in the end, it wouldn't be a literal explanation. Again, there might be a particular environmental reasoning to that, through a secular raised family.

And despite being raised secular, I have a subjective personal New Age belief, and I may have my own reasoning for me. Would it border on being literal? Well, for me, I would think so, and even that could be debated. I would think that would boil down to the symbolic description again, which I would use for it to be proof for me. I never have raised or explained to my kids my belief, because of how in lecture form of it, they wouldn't understand it, maybe. If anything, how it guided me, would be how they would be aware of it through that. And that's not definite, I don't think.

I pretty much followed my mother's approach. Let it be known, one has the right to follow their own path when they reach adulthood, and I made that known to my children. So, it really boils down to subjectiveness, and not something that can be proven literally. So, the big question is, can God be proven literally? Can anyone, with their own subjective beliefs, (that's including me and my higher power too) prove their beliefs literally and with examples?

Though I don't think literal proof is possible yet, I do think you can have a literal belief. People believe things often with no proof. A literal belief is what you actually believe, provable or not, and that is more my question.

I could say I believe we are gods to the ants and our gods are only the ants of other high forms of gods so complex in existence that we can't detect or even mathematically predict them and our universe is only what we detect with five senses and they have thousands of senses so we can't even comprehend their universe. Or I could say, I believe my Jesus is a ninja. A belief doesn't even have to be rational. People often believe irrational ideas.

It's a question more asking what "God" is in there personal beliefs. It may take a while to have the technology to actually prove or disprove "God". But people can believe "God" looks a certain way or isn't visible at all. A certain gender or not identifiable by genitalia. Some literally believe he created all and some literally believe we created him. I'd just like to hear some different ideas as to any beliefs about "God" itself.

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nephili 786

Ah ... a different question then ; and now about God's physical properties , which I would not answer that way as I do not think God has physical properties , God is a 'conceptual complex' .

Well, I can describe what I think the function and development of God is, but it, as I said above, is not a belief . Nor do I see Gd as a 'being' ... nor do I see it functioning in the Universe, its a socio cultural complex developed to define and deify the local collective 'superego' .

I think that is as valid a belief as any based on the limited (if any) proof of God.

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back to earth 22,981

I think that is as valid a belief as any based on the limited (if any) proof of God.

Within the field of anthropology any 'proof of God' is defined by how the concept interacts with and modifies (or regulates) their culture. It is a real and important concept of humans , so it deserves study and attention, as it is a very influential dynamic in many societies.

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Stubbly_Dooright 8,964

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Though I don't think literal proof is possible yet, I do think you can have a literal belief. People believe things often with no proof. A literal belief is what you actually believe, provable or not, and that is more my question.

I could say I believe we are gods to the ants and our gods are only the ants of other high forms of gods so complex in existence that we can't detect or even mathematically predict them and our universe is only what we detect with five senses and they have thousands of senses so we can't even comprehend their universe. Or I could say, I believe my Jesus is a ninja. A belief doesn't even have to be rational. People often believe irrational ideas.

It's a question more asking what "God" is in there personal beliefs. It may take a while to have the technology to actually prove or disprove "God". But people can believe "God" looks a certain way or isn't visible at all. A certain gender or not identifiable by genitalia. Some literally believe he created all and some literally believe we created him. I'd just like to hear some different ideas as to any beliefs about "God" itself.

I have to give you for your thoughts on this. I find you thoughts on 'literal belief' interesting. I may have those, if I'm going to be frank. But, I think we have a little conundrum here, I think. This is like saying literal is no so literal, when describing it along belief. Because, I believe belief is subjective and personal. I guess, one can get literal with referring to themselves, but can something definitely be proven literal to just one's self, when no one else is around to prove it as well? What if one is hallucinating? Just wanted to throw that out there. *shrugs*

So, I see your meaning of seeing God in a personal light, and it could be anything literally for them. But, if explaining to someone else, and we have a child as that someone else here, wouldn't you need literal, as in the true sense?

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omni9 27

If a child asked you, what would you give as a literal definition of "God" (or the lack of)? Why do you believe or disbelieve? What gave you your proof that "God" is real or not real? Everyone has their own personal beliefs as far as who or what created us and why (or why not). I'd like to hear some others tell their literal beliefs.

What is god dad ?

god is in everything , god is not a religion , a cult , which the three domminate religions are , its not buddist , nothing .

Ah ... a different question then ; and now about God's physical properties , which I would not answer that way as I do not think God has physical properties , God is a 'conceptual complex' .

Well, I can describe what I think the function and development of God is, but it, as I said above, is not a belief . Nor do I see Gd as a 'being' ... nor do I see it functioning in the Universe, its a socio cultural complex developed to define and deify the local collective 'superego' .

"It's a sociopath culturalcomplex developed to define and deify the local collective " superego" "

Love this.

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Sherapy 9,391

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Within the field of anthropology any 'proof of God' is defined by how the concept interacts with and modifies (or regulates) their culture. It is a real and important concept of humans , so it deserves study and attention, as it is a very influential dynamic in many societies.

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Hammerclaw 10,690

I find myself completely inadequate to "define" "God", as I hold a presumptive opinion that "God" is so high in dimensional reality as to be "unknowable" by me.

But, I still love God.

No one here, so far, has endeavored to define God. All I see is various opinions on and definitions of belief in God. I suppose it is an insoluble problem if one lacks belief. Even as a believer I can only speculate, but honestly don't have a clue. So why not pose the question hypothetically as if there was a God, and let our resident skeptics take a stab at--if you'll pardon the term--playing devil's advocate for a change and see what they come up with.